Mixing machine



June 24, 1930. K, R sc 1,765,544

MIXING MACHINE Filed Nov. 1925 Bf ATTORNEY;

Patented June 24, 1930 PATENT QFFICE KARL R. SCHUSTER, F HOPATCONG, NEWJERSEY MIXING MACHINE Application filed November This invention is anapparatus for mixingand' transporting materials of one kindor another,and while the invention is useful in I effect the mix and of applyingthat force or pressure to the mixed mass requisite to impel the latterwithin a conduit adapted for the I transportation of such mass from themixing station to the place where the mixed mass is to he installed orused, or briefly, the utilization station.

Combined with the aforesaid rotary pump is a 'feed mechanism, usually inthe form of a hopper the outlet of which leads to or is connected withthe eye or intake of the pump mechanism, whereby said feed mechanism isoperable for keeping up an adequate supply to said rotary pump of thematerials to be mixed while the said pump is in motion, but such feed ofthe materials to said pump is controllable by a suitable valve mechanismoperable to shut off the intake of material by said pump at the stagewhen the pump is charged and when it is rotated at a speed appropriatefor mixing the materials.

Cooperable with the rotary pump are two other elements, one for drivingthe pump rotor at selected speeds, and the other for retaining withinthe pump at the mixing or agitating stage the materials to be mixed. Thepump-driving means may be of any character suitable for the purpose. Thematerial retaining means is of various structural forms, in one of whicha valve is used at a point intermediate the pump outlet and theofl-bearing conduit, whereas in another 50 structural -form of suchmaterial retaining 3, 1925. Serial No. 66,463.

means, the conduit is ofiset from a straight line at a'point adjacentthe pump outlet.

Other functions and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of myapparatus.

Figure 2 is a similar view of another embodiment of the inventionillustrating one form of the selective speed drive .for the rotary pumpand showing, also, means associated with the conduit to apply pressureto the mixed mass in the case of elongated conduits for thetransportation of such mass beyond the capacity of the pump mechanism.

Figures 3 and 4 are views in sectional elevation of other embodiments ofthe invention.

Figure 5 is an elevation partly in section of another embodiment of theinvention illustrating another form of feed means, another form of pumprotor, and another form of material retaining means for the mixing pump.

Adesignates the pump mechanism, B an oil-bearing conduit, and (l thefeed mechanism. The conduit is connected to or continuous with the pumpoutlet a, whereas the feed mechanism is in communication with the intakea of said pump.

The pump is of an construction suitable for the purposes of mixing thematerials and of applying pressure to the resulting mixed mass in a Wayto impel such mass within and through the conduit. In the form of pumpshown, it embodies a casing and a rotor or rotary member, said casinghaving the axialintake at, the latter being substantially coincidentwith the axis of rotation of the rotary member, and said casing beingprovided, also, with the outlet a. The rotary pump member is indicatedat A, comprising a shaft (1 and a plurality 'of paddles a said shaftbeing j ournaled in appropriate bearings on the casing and said shaftbeing furnished with a driving member, usually a pulley a. The paddles aof the rotary pump, member A are ofform and dimensions suitable for thepurpose, and said member-A is positioned or mounted within the casingfor the paddles to sweep relatively close to said casing in order thatsaid rotary member may act in the manner desired to effect the agitationof the materials in mixing the latter and for exerting the propulsiveforce upon the resulting mixed mass to impel said mass within theconduit, B.

The hopper C occupies usually an elevated relation to the pump and saidhopper may be in close relation to the pump as in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, orit may have a more or less distant relation thereto as in Fig. 3, inwhich latter case the hopper is connected at its outlet with the axialintake of the pump by an intermediate tubular connection, indicated at0' in Fig. 3.

The hopper and the rotary pump are thus relatively disposed for thematerials to pass or flow by gravity from the hopper to the pump, butthe inflow of such materials to the pump is in a measure dependent uponthe rotary motion given to the pump member A, whereby the feed mechanismand the pump cooperate to assure an adequate supply of materials to'themixing pump. This feed of the materials is controllable, however, by anappropriate valve D, shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as a hinged valve positionedadjacent to the hopper exit 0, said valve having means of any desirednaturev for shiftin it as and when required. Thus, to charge t e pumpwith materials from the hopper, the valve D, is moved by hand to an openposition, and with member A in motion, the materials flow b gravity fromthe hopper or are drawn by tlie rotary motion of rotor or member A intothe pump, but with the pump charged or primed with an adequate supply ofmaterials, the valve D is shifted to a closed position, whereupon thepump rotor or member A continues in operation to agitate the materialsand thus effect the mix, and such rotation of the pump member A isthereafter continued at the required speed and for a desirable period oftime, so

as to expel the mixed mass from the pum and to impel such mass withinand throug the conduit B.

To effect a thorough, or even adquate, ad-- mixture of materials withinand by the action of the pump, it is desirable to retain such materialswithin the pump casing for-a pe-' riod of time after the amp shall havebeen charged. To thus retain the materials within the influence of therotary pump member A, I provide means for any suitable construction, andin the drawings, two forms of such material retaining means are shown,either of which may be employed. In the construction of Figs. 1 and 2,the retaining means are shown as valve E, positioned adj acent the pumpexit a; thus, a sliding gate valve E is shown in Fig. 1, whereas in Fig.2 a hinged or pivoted valve E is shown between the conduit B and thepump casing. In lieu of the valves of Figures 1 and 2, I may resort tothe construction shown in Fig. 4, wherein the conduit B is shown ashaving member or rotor A at selective speeds, wherel by the mix of thematerials may take place at comparatively slow speed Whereas to effectthe transportation of the mixed mass, the pump member is driven atfaster speed, and thus acts to impel the mixed mass by centrifugalaction of the pump. Any variable speed mechanism suitable for thepurpose may be associated with the pump, but in Fig. 2, I have electedto illustrate an electrical drive in the form of a motor-G,,the pulley gof which is belted at g to the pulley a of the pump rotor A. energizedby current from the feed mains h, and is under the influence of acontroller H shiftable at will with respect to a rheostat h',.wherebythe speed of the motor may be regulated to drive the pump rotor A atdesired variable speeds. Thus, in charging or priming the pump, thecontroller H is operated to turn the pump rotor A at relatively slowspeed, and such slow speed continues for the period deemed necessary tomix the materials, valves D E being closed at such mixing stage. Butafter'the mass shall have'been mixed, the gate E is opened, and thespeed of The motor G is the pump rotor is increased, whereby the pumpacts centrifugally to impel the mixed mass Within the condu1t B.

The transportation of the mixed mass within the conduit may beobtainedby the centrifugal action of the pump, especially in the case ofa relatively short conduit, butwhere a longer conduit is deemedadvisable or necessary, I supplement the centrifugal action of the pumpupon the mixed mass b feeding air or gas under pressure into t econduit, at one or more places intermediate the ends of said conduit.Thus, in Fig. 2, I have shown a plurality of j ct nozzles I for feedingair or gas under pressure into the conduit, one of said nozzles openinginto the conduit adj accnt the gate E, and another of said nozzlesfeeding the fluid pressure into the conduit intermediate the endsthereof. The nozzles I may be used or omitted as required by theexigency of the service, or one nozzle or any desired number of nozzlesmay be used, dependent upon the distance required for the transportationof the mixed mass.

As hereinbefore indicated, the feed means may be modified with respectto the relation it occupies to the combined pump and mixer.

Instead of feeding the material to the pump is shown a hopper C over orabove the pump casing and provided with anoutlet c which opens into thepump chamber above the rotor. A valve or gate E shuts off the feed ofmaterial when required.

In the example shown inFigure 5, the pump rotor A is modified byproviding straight paddles (1 extending radially to the axis of therotor or to its shaft, and said rotor is positioned in eccentricrelation to the casing, to enable the tips of the paddles to sweep closeto the bottom of the casing and to allow space at the top of the pumpcasing for the material supplied by the hopper 0 Again, the materialretaining means is shown in Figure 5 as comprising a tubular outletconduit or pipe B extending tangentially to the pump casing, andsuchtubular tangential outlet or conduit is shown as having a reversedmember B in depending relation and provided with a gate or valve B".This construction provides for loading a batch of mixed materials into ahand barrow, or other receptacle, which is adapted to be placed belowthe reversed outlet and by opening the valve or gate at the exit point,the mixed batch is forced by the action of the pump rotor through\andout of the exit, for loading the batch into the barrow, as is apparent.

In my invention the admixture of the components of a mass is carried onwholly within the pump mechanism, the latter acting in the dual capacityfor eflecting the admixture and for transporting said mixture,,and themixing operation and the application of propul sive force to transportthe mixture being carried on at successive stages. To the end that thecomponents of the mixture may be mixed wholly within the pump mechanism,it is preferable to employ a centrifugal pump, the casing or drum ofwhich is of a capacity to contain a batch of the materials and the rotorof which pump is so proportioned and arranged that said rotor acts uponthe components of the mass for lifting such components and as theyapproach the top of the drum or casing such lifted components are freeto fall back by gravity whereby the coarse mineral aggregates, sand,cement and.

water of a concrete batch, are thoroughly mixed by a tumbling actionwithin the pump casing or drum.

Cooperating with the centrifugal pump are the charging or priming means,C, the gate, D, for closing the connection between the pump and thecharging means, the va riable speed mechanism, G, and a gate, E, or itsequivalent for precluding the outflow of the materials during the mixingstage.

At the mixing stage, the pump rotor is driven at relatively slow speedin order that the components may undergo a tumbling action within thepump casing or drum, and at this stage the gate D is closed, and gate Eor its equivalent acts to confine the mass within the pump casing. Thevalve or gate D shuts off the flow of material to the pump during theslow speed action of the pump rotor, whereby the components of a batchto y the pump rotor at the mixing stage being insuificient for thetransportation of the batch or charge. Accordingly, at thetransportation stage, the gate E is opened and the change speedmechanism operated for the motor to drive the pump rotor at a fasterspeed during the transportation stage, and thus the pump rotor acts uponthe batch or mix to apply propulsive force thereto,whereby the batch ormix is forced through the offbearingconduit, with or without the aid andassistance of compressed fluid supplied by pipe I of Figure 2.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1 1. A mixer including arotoroperable for mixing the materials by a tumbling action and for applyingpropulsive force to the mixed mass for discharging the same, and aconduit or pipe extending upwardly from the mixer substantiallytangentially thereto.

2. A mixer including a rotor operable for mixing the materials by acentrifugal action and for then applying centrifugal propulsive forceto'the mixture for discarging the same, and a conduit or pipe extendingupwardly from the mixer substantially tangentially thereto, said conduitor pipe having a depending exit member provided with a valve.

3. A mixer including a casing, a rotor eccentri'cally' mounted thereinand operable to mix materials by a tumbling action and for applyingpropulsive force to the mixture for dischargin the same and a conduitextending upwardly rom the casing substantially tangentially thereto.

v4;. A mixer including a casing, a rotor eccentrically mounted thereinand operable to mix materials by a tumbling action and for applyingpropulsive force to the mixture for discharging the same and a conduitextending upwardly from the vcasing, substantially tangentially thereto,said conduit having a depending exit member provided with a valve.

5. An apparatus of the class described, including a casing, a rotoreccentrically mounted therein and operable to mix materials'by acentrifugal action and for applying centrifugal propulsive force to themixture for discharging the same and a 'discharge conduit associatedwith the casing.

6. An apparatus of the class described, embodying a cylindrical casingprovided with a valved outlet, a rotor mounted therein and provided withradialpaddles and operable at one stage to effect the mixing by acentrifugal action within the casing at one rotor speed and operable ata subsequent stage for applying propulsive centrifugal force to themixture at a hi her rotor speed to effect the transportation t ereof,and means for driving therotor a selected speeds during the mixing stageand the transportation stage.

7. An apparatus of the class described, in-

eluding a casing, a rotor therein formed with radial imperforate paddlesand having a loose fit with the casing, said rotor being of smaller sizethan the interior of the casing, and being operable to mix material by acentrifugal action and for applying a centrifugal propulsive force tothe mixture at a subsequent stage for discharging the mixed material,means whereby material is fed to the casing and within the field of saidrotor, means for retaining the material in the casing during the mixingoperation and means whereby the rotor may be driven at selective speedsto effect first the mixing and then the transportation of themixed'material.

8. An apparatus of the class described, including a casing provided withan inlet and an outlet, a rotor mounted therein and provided withimperforate radialpaddles, said rotor being operable to mix material bycentrifugal action and for applying centrifugal propulsive force to themixture at a subsequent stage for discharging the mixed material, meanswhereby charges of material to be mixed are admitted to the casing andwithin the field of said rotor and material retaining means adjacent theoutlet of the casing.

9. An apparatus of the class described, including a substantiallycircular casing provided with an axial inlet and a peripheral outlet, arotor mounted in said casing and formed with imperforate radial paddleshaving a loose fit with the interior of the casing, said rotor beingoperable to mix material by a centrifugal action and for applyingcentrifugal propulsive force to the mixture at a subsequent stage fortransporting the mixed material, means whereby material is fed into thecasing, and valve means adjacent said outlet for retaining the materialin the casing during the mixing stage.

10. An apparatus for mixing materials and for transporting such mixedmaterials, including a casing having an inlet and an outlet and a rotorprovided with radial paddles mounted within said casing, said rotorbeing operable to mix material a centrifugal action and for applyingcentrifugal propulsive force to the mixture at a subsequent stage fortransporting the mixed meterial, means for feeding material to be mixedto said casing and within the field of said rotor, means adjacent saidoutlet for retaining the material in the casing during the mix-.

nreaeae ing stage, and means for driving said. rotor at increased speedwhereby subsequently to the mixing stage the pump rotor applies a largercentrifugal propulsive force to the mixed material for effecting theremoval of such mixed material from the pump casing.

11. An apparatus of the class described, including a casing formed withan inlet and an outlet, a rotor therein formed-with radial paddles, saidrotor being of smaller size than the interior of the casing, a valvedinlet conduit communicating with the casing inlet, a valved outletconduit communicating with the casing outlet, and means to drive therotor at one speed during the mixing stage to agitate the material by acentrifugal force and at a higher speed at a subsequent stage to efiectthe transportation of the mixed material by a centrifugal action.

12. A method of mixing materials which comprises admitting a charge ofmaterial to a confined space, subjecting the material to a centrifugalmixing action in the confined space, and then expelling and transportingthe mixed material by a centrifugal force greater than themixingcentrifugal force.

18. A method of mixing concrete materials and the like which comprisesallowing a charge of material to fall by gravity into a confined space,retaining the material in said space while subjecting the material to acentrifugal mixing action for a suflicient length of time to thoroughlymix the same, and then removing and transporting the mixed material by acentrifugal force greater than the centrifugal force used for mixing thematerial.

In testimony whereof I have hereto signed my name this 29th day ofOctober, 1925.

' KARL R. SCHUSTER.

